Parents: Don’t worry, be prepared

Parents

It’s frightening, unnerving, and exciting all at the same time. We know this may be the first time your child is leaving home. UConn could be right down the road or thousands of miles from home. In either case, college can be just as tough, if not harder, on parents/guardians than on the students. We want to offer you some comfort — UConn’s campuses are protected by highly trained, professional police and fire departments. UConn is committed to the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community.

In addition, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has developed plans to ensure that the University is better prepared for any disaster. While no one can prevent every disaster from striking, we can mitigate our risk and prepare for them. UConn’s OEM has developed an all-hazard Emergency Operations Plan that ensures UConn can respond effectively and restore operations efficiently during a crisis.

For emergency school closings, class cancellations, or other incidents you can visit alert.uconn.edu or call 860-486-3768 for campus status. Local news outlets may also display the information.

Parents/guardians who wish to receive UConnALERTs should download the myUCONN mobile app. The myUCONN mobile app may directly receive alerts as push notifications. More information on the app is available at mobile.uconn.edu. For more information on UConn’s emergency alerting and notification system, please visit the UConnALERT website, alert.uconn.edu.

We strongly encourage you to make a communication plan with your student that you can enact in the event of an emergency. Know how to contact each other and create an “I’m Safe” texting plan. Always try to text before making telephone calls during an emergency.

Remember, the University of Connecticut has many resources available to students to support their physical and emotional needs. There are counselors and nurses available 24/7 on the Storrs campus. Regional campus police officers are trained in basic emergency medical services and supported by local ambulance and fire services. If you have any questions, contact our office at 860-486-5174. We would be happy to address any concerns you may have.